More STUK-info

At first, each of us thought that he or she was the only one. That isn’t true. Every day, hundreds of thousands of children and youngsters are abused, neglected or experience domestic violence in Holland and Belgium; or have to deal with other violations of their human rights. We think this is not okay! That’s why we do FORUM THEATRE | SHORT MOVIES ON YouTube | we give WORKSHOPS,and produced STUKBOEK and de website STUKONLINE . For those who are in trouble. To talk about it. You are not alone! Support each other!

STUKTHEATREIt started in 2005 with STUKTHEATRE. 12 Young people made a 30 minute play about their own experiences with child abuse. After this they talked with the audience about the subject. The play was very succesfull in Netherlands and Flanders. More than 3000 youngsters joint the discussions. The STUKtheatre also attracted grown up people. A lot of shows were given for people who work with children like youthcare workers, nurses, policemen.

STUKTHEATRE stopped because the young people who were acting in it are schoolboys and -girls or were working.

STUKVIDEOUntil recently, when you typed in ‘kindermishandeling’ (Dutch for ‘child abuse’) on YouTube, the popular website for videos, there wasn’t any clarifying information to find. A shortcoming, considering YouTube is a popular site for young people who are in search of information. Now, Dutch and Flemish youngsters uploaded a lot of videos about this subject on the site.

The short movies (30” to 5’) were made in workshops by youngsters (between 12-20 years old) who have some experience with child abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and/or domestic violence. The message they send: “We have experienced this and we don’t think it’s normal what happened to us. If you go through something like this you can’t think its normal either. Find help, support each other, and use these videos to talk to each other about violence in relationships and upbringing”.

De movies are very diverse. There are testimonies, animations, short stories, street interviews, music-clips, discussions …

At the end of every video you can find the address for the STUKYOUTOO-website: www.stukyoutoo.com. On this site young people can access a bunch of useful information. There’s also a Hyves site www.stukyoutoo.hyves.nl and shortly there will be a page on Facebook and MySpace. Come join us! The videos have been viewed over 220.000 times since they were launched in 2010. They’ve been distributed via other sites and networks as well. 13 to 17 Year olds in particular are avid viewers.

STUKWORKSHOPSThe young people that worked on the project now visit other schools and groups to discuss violence in relationships and upbringing by using the videos and the STUK-quiz (with clear questions and rules).

STUKBOOK

17 stories of the STUKVIDEO and 7 discussions were combined in a book. Especially made for young people who are not able/allowed to watch internet in their Youth Care Offices. The book was made by young designers and photographers and distributed in Netherlands and Flanders. In autumn of 2012 the second edition will appear because the first eition is almost sold out.

FORUM STUKSince 2010 young people in Antwerp Flanders (and since 2012 in Amsterdam Holland) work woith Forumtheatre. About child abuse and domestic violence, based on their own experiences. Short scènes are performer fort other young people and then the forumtheatre-discussion takes place. More than 2000 youngsters discussed the subject in this way in sessions that lasted more than 1 ½ hrs. More sessions will be done in Amsterdam shortly before and after summer this year and from september-november 2012 in Antwerp.

OTHER PROJECTSStichting STUK, wich is financially supported by Stichting Kinderpostzegels Nederland, has grown. With an office and a lot of young people working in it.At this moment, STUKVIDEO, STUKBOOK, FORUM STUK, STUKONLINE are still functioning. And it has become better. Young people now do their own projects on 1. young&handicapped&stand up for your rights, 2. the violation of rights in Youthg Care 3. sexually abuse in Youth care 4. violation of rights in refugee camps 5. attention on child abuse must be a standard subject in education for every job in ciontact with children 6. girls who had to deal with loverboys are gathering and making short movies for internet.

For everybody who starts or joins a STUK-project the result is great. All the things we learned during the bad years of surpression, the surviving years, we now can use to help other young people in the same situation.

CHILD ABUSE

Disturbing numbers

The numbers, on children and young people who experience child abuse, neglect, domestic violence or sexual abuse in the Netherlands en Flanders, have been very disturbing for a very long time. Over a hundred thousand children are being raised in a violent and hurtful environment. A lot of different initiatives have been taken to do something to reduce child abuse but it still is a big problem.

Causes

A lack of openness and acceptance of problems in upbringing plays, in our opinion, an important role. Using violence as a tool for childrearing – out of belief or out of powerlessness – and the inequality between male and female, are subjects that remain unmentionable. The violence and abuse gets passed on from generation to generation.Phenomenon’s such as poverty, unemployment and lack of educational possibilities, are important causes of abuse and domestic violence.

The child’s perspective

It’s not evident for children or young people who have been abused to do something against it. Children are naturally loyal to their parents and depend on them. Out of fear of the consequences for the family, out of shame or guilt, out of insecurity or ignorance, out of fear of punishment by parents, only a small group of children is capable of asking for help on their own.

Lack of information

Despite the existence of sites like the Dutch Youth Institute (NJI) or the Youth and Child Telephone (KJT) in Flanders, there’s still not enough information available.

In schools there is a lack of guidance and education directed at youngsters as well as teachers, who don’t really know how the handle such a situation. The subject is too sensitive and schools often feel unequipped to lend after-care. A fear of the possible consequences or a personal history can also contribute to an inadequate guidance or education.

This abstention makes it hard for young people to confide in adults in the school. They fear the adult will take the side of the parents.The child or youngster that is abused, neglected or hurt often stands alone.

It’s important to provide youth with information regarding child abuse trough means that are popular in their own culture.

It’s a good thing that information about this subject are easily accessible to other people our age. Internet and YouTube are very good tools to reach each other. And: the workshops that we give are a huge success and lead to cheerful and energetic debates.